Alerts & Notices

Welcome to the Juan de Fuca

Juan de Fuca encompasses the west coast of Vancouver Island from the community of Otter Point all the way to Port Renfrew, and also includes the geographically separate communities of East Sooke, Malahat and Willis Point. It also includes the Chatham and Discovery Islands, which lie off the east coast of Victoria, near Oak Bay.

The Juan de Fuca communities of Willis Point, Malahat, East Sooke, Otter Point, Shirley, Jordan River and Port Renfrew, and the Rural Resource Lands make up an unincorporated rural Electoral Area under the jurisdiction of the Capital Regional District (CRD). The CRD serves as local government for electoral areas and most administrative functions are handled from offices in Otter Point or Victoria. The southern half of Discovery Island is a Provincial Marine Park; the northern portion of Discovery Island, Chatham Island and its nearby islets are part of the Songhees First Nation reserve lands.

The CRD Board has established, by bylaw, a number of Commissions to provide community input into the delivery of specific CRD services in the EA's. The Board may also establish Committee's to provide advice and recommendations in relation to a CRD service or potential service.

Advisory Planning Commissions, one of which represents each community in the Juan de Fuca area, make recommendations to the CRD on community and neighbourhood development plans, zoning applications and development permits. At this time the Port Renfrew and Malahat Advisory Planning Commissions are not active. The Commissions meet on an as required basis.

Planning Services - Hot Topics

The Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee (LUC) considered proposed Bylaw No. 4179, which would amend Bylaw No. 2040, “Juan de Fuca Land Use Bylaw, 1992”, to add agriculture and intensive agricultural uses to the Forestry (AF) zone, at its June 20, 2017 meeting. At this meeting the LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4179 be referred to agencies and to the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission (APC), the Otter Point APC and the Shirley/Jordan River APC.

A meeting of the Otter Point Advisory Planning Commission was held July 17, 2017.

A meeting of the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission was scheduled for August 1, 2017. Quorum requirements were not met.

A meeting of the Shirley/Jordan River Advisory Planning Commission was held August 2, 2017.

At its November 21, 2017 meeting the LUC reviewed the comments received from agencies and recommended that Bylaw No. 4179 receive first and second readings and proceed to public hearing.

At its December 13, 2017 meeting the CRD Board gave Bylaw No. 4179 first and second readings and direction that Bylaw No. 4179 proceed to public hearing.

A public hearing was held on January 24, 2018, at 7pmat the Shirley Community Hall
located at 2795 Sheringham Point Road, Shirley, BC.

The CRD Board will receive the report of public hearing for Bylaw No. 4179 at their March 14, 2018 meeting.

Should you have any questions or for further information, please email Local Area Planning or call 250.642.8100.

Variance Permit Application VA000144 - 1499 Trail Way

The Land Use Committee will consider the request for a development variance permit to reduce the front yard setback for an agricultural building at their meeting on February 20, 2018.

The Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee (LUC) considered the request to rezone the subject property from the Community Residential – One (CR-1) zone to a new Mixed Commercial/Residential (CR-1A) zone (proposed Bylaw No. 4216) for the purpose of allowing a food service establishment at its January 16, 2018 meeting. At this meeting the LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4216 be referred to agencies and the Port Renfrew Advisory Planning Commission (APC).

In lieu of an APC meeting, a Public Information Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 22nd at 6:30pm at the Port Renfrew Community Hall to provide information and obtain comments regarding the application. See Event details.

The Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee (LUC) considered the request to rezone four parcels from the Jordan River Hamlet (JR-1) zone to a new Restricted Development – Flood Hazard Area (RD-1) zone; to rezone five parcels from the Jordan River Hamlet Commercial (C-1B) zone to the RD-1 zone; to rezone one parcel from the Jordan River Destination Resort (CR-1A) zone to the RD-1 zone; and to rezone three parcels from the Rural A zone to the RD-1 zone (proposed Bylaw No. 4188) in order to restrict development within an area found to be at risk of catastrophic flooding due to dam failure associated with an extreme seismic event at its July 18, 2017 meeting. At this meeting the LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4188 be referred to agencies and to the Shirley/Jordan River Advisory Planning Commission.

A meeting of the Shirley/Jordan River Advisory Planning Commission was held August 2, 2017.

Director Hicks held a meeting with Jordan River residents on September 22, 2017.

At its November 21, 2017 meeting the LUC reviewed the comments received from referral agencies and recommended that Bylaw No. 4188 receive first and second readings and proceed to public hearing.

At its December 13, 2017 meeting the CRD Board gave Bylaw No. 4188 first and second readings and direction that Bylaw No. 4188 proceed to public hearing.

A public hearing was held on January 24, 2018, at 7pm
at the Shirley Community Hall located at
2795 Sheringham Point Road, Shirley, BC.

The CRD Board will receive the public hearing report at their March 14, 2018 meeting.

Should you have any questions or for further information, please email Local Area Planning or call 250.642.8100.

The Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee (LUC) considered the request to rezone five properties from the General Industrial (M-2) zone to a new Sooke Business Park Industrial (M-SBP) zone (proposed Bylaw No. 4187) in order to clarify allowable uses, respond to market demand and permit licensed medical marihuana production facilities pursuant to Health Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) at its June 20, 2017 meeting. At this meeting the LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4187, as amended to delete gravel processing as a permitted use, be referred to agencies and to the Otter Point Advisory Planning Commission (APC).

A second application (RZ000249) was received from another property owner to rezone four additional strata properties in the Sooke Business Park. Permission was granted by the original applicant to have these parcels added to the proposed bylaw amendment.

At its September 19, 2017 meeting the LUC reviewed the comments received from agencies and recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4187, reflecting rezoning of nine lots, be amended to accommodate the request from the original applicant to include Strata Lot 6, Section 16, Otter District, Plan VIS7096 to the rezoning proposal and that the bylaw, as amended, proceed to first and second readings and to public hearing.

The Otter Point APC considered Bylaw No. 4187, as amended to reflect rezoning of a total of ten properties, on September 25, 2017.

At its October 11, 2017 meeting the CRD Board gave Bylaw No. 4187 first and second readings and direction that Bylaw No. 4187 proceed to public hearing.

The Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee (LUC) considered the request to rezone the property from the Greenbelt 2 (Gb2) zone to a new Commercial Recreation – Medical Marihuana (CR1-MM) zone (proposed Bylaw No. 4196) and to designate the property as a Commercial Development Permit Area (proposed Bylaw No. 4197) in order to permit a campground facility, tourist cabins, outdoor amusement facilities, and a licensed medical marihuana production facility pursuant to Health Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) at its July 18, 2017 meeting. At this meeting the LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4196 and Bylaw No. 4197 be referred to agencies and to a public information meeting.

At its meeting of January 16, 2018, the LUC considered a modified application to rezone the property to a new Industrial - Medical Marihuana Production (M4) zone (proposed Bylaw No. 4196) and to designate the property as a Commercial and Industrial Development Permit Area (proposed Bylaw No. 4197) for a licensed medical marihuana production facility, as well as to receive referral comments from agencies and the public information. At this meeting the LUC recommended that the revised proposed Bylaw Nos. 4196 and 4197 be referred again to agencies and to a public information meeting.

A Public Information Meeting will be held on Monday, February 26th at 7pm at the Shawnigan Lake Community Centre to provide information and obtain comments regarding the revised application. See Event details.

Should you have any questions or for further information, please email Local Area Planning or call 250.642.8100.

East Sooke Official Community Plan Review

The Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee (LUC) considered proposed Bylaw No. 4000, "Official Community Plan for East Sooke, Bylaw No. 1, 2016", which will repeal and replace the existing East Sooke Official Community Plan, Bylaw No. 3718, at its February 16, 2016 meeting. At this meeting the LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4000 be referred to agencies and to the East Sooke Advisory Planning Commission, the Juan de Fuca Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission and the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Advisory Planning Commission.

Proposed Bylaw No. 4000 was considered by the East Sooke Advisory Planning Commission on April 25, 2016, by the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission on April 26, 2016 and by the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission on May 9, 2016.

The LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4000 be referred to the full CRD Board for consistency with the Regional Growth Strategy and that Bylaw No. 4000 proceed to first and second readings and to public hearing at its July 19, 2016 meeting.

Should you have any questions or for further information, please email Local Area Planning or call 250.642.8100.

Shirley/Jordan River Official Community Plan Review

The Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee (LUC) considered proposed Bylaw No. 4001, “Official Community Plan for Shirley – Jordan River, Bylaw No. 1, 2016", which will repeal and replace the existing Shirley/Jordan River Official Community Plan, Bylaw No. 3717, at its April 19, 2016 meeting. At this meeting the LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4001 be referred to agencies and to the Shirley/Jordan River Advisory Planning Commission, the Juan de Fuca Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission and the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Advisory Planning Commission.

Proposed Bylaw No. 4001 was considered by the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Parks and Recreation Advisory Planning Commission on April 26, 2016 and by the Agricultural Advisory Planning Commission
May 9, 2016.

The Shirley/Jordan River Advisory Planning Commission considered Bylaw No. 4001 at its meeting of May 4, 2016 and June 1, 2016.

The LUC recommended that proposed Bylaw No. 4001 be referred to the full CRD Board for consistency with the Regional Growth Strategy and that Bylaw No. 4001 proceed to first and second readings and to public hearing at its July 19, 2016 meeting.

Alerts & Notices

Earthquake early warning/tsunami siren system TESTING at Port Renfrew and Pacheedaht Tues, March 20 – Wed, March 21. Residents and visitors can expect loud intermittent warning sirens with a voice message for earthquake, tsunami and test tone warnings throughout each day.

Director

The Juan de Fuca's Electoral Area Director, Mike Hicks, is the area's representative at the CRD Regional Board and on various CRD commissions. Director Hicks was re-elected in December 2014 for a 4 year term.

Agendas, Minutes and Reports to JDF Commissions and Committees

JdF Local Area Services Facility Use-Rental Application

Otter Point History - Heritage Sites and Areas of Historical Interest

This local history report and map provides an overview of heritage sites and areas of historical interest, initially prepared as background to the Otter Point Official Community Plan.

What is the CRD?

The CRD is a local government that delivers 200+ local, regional and sub-regional services for residents of the region, including 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24 member Board of Directors, the CRD is working to serve the public, and build a vibrant, livable and sustainable region.